Knowing What Causes Motorcycle Accidents Could Save Your Life

Knowing What Causes Motorcycle Accidents Could Save Your Life

Whether you are an experienced rider or are considering your first motorcycle, educating yourself about motorcycle safety is a must. Generally speaking, motorcycles are significantly more dangerous than passenger cars and light trucks. Consider the following statistics: According to the Department of Transportation, motorcycle operators are involved in deadly accidents 35 times more than those […]

Whether you are an experienced rider or are considering your first motorcycle, educating yourself about motorcycle safety is a must. Generally speaking, motorcycles are significantly more dangerous than passenger cars and light trucks. Consider the following statistics:According to the Department of Transportation, motorcycle operators are involved in deadly accidents 35 times more than those driving cars or trucks. More than half of motorcycle crashes resulting in a fatality involved at least one other vehicle. The remaining crashes did not involve other vehicles, but instead involved encounters with obstructed roadways, collisions with fixed objects, or other dangers. Of those motorcycle operators who died in a crash, about half were speeding while just over 40% had blood-alcohol concentrations above the legal limit. Common Crash CausesWhile motorcycle accidents statistics are sobering, the story doesn’t end there. Motorcycles lack many of the safety features that cars and light trucks have. In addition to having open cabins and no seat belts or driver restraints, motorcycles are also significantly smaller than other vehicles. Their size is a significant safety factor because other drivers often fail to see them on the road. …